Chicken Drumsticks with Orange Glaze

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If you’re feeding a Paleo family on a budget, chicken drumsticks are your very best friends. They’re cheap, quick, lunchbox-friendly, and easy for little hands: what’s not to love? In this recipe, you’ll jazz up a basic package of drumsticks with a citrus glaze and a warm hint of spice: grated ginger, cinnamon, and star anise add a mild heat and just a little bit of zing to the glaze. Stir in a little honey to bring the sweetness up a notch, or leave it out for a slightly spicier taste.

As a substitute for soy sauce, the glaze here calls for coconut aminos; these are a Paleo-friendly dressing that you can buy at most health food stores or online. You’ll also need some white rice vinegar – which, despite the name, doesn’t actually contain any rice at all. The rice is just there to act as food for the bacteria that cause the fermentation reaction. So even if your version of “Paleo” doesn’t include rice, you’ll be fine with the vinegar.

With the hint of Asian flavor in the ginger and the coconut aminos, this would be a great recipe to pair with some stir-fried Brussels sprouts. Or go even simpler with asparagus or coleslaw, or just a big pile of greens tossed with olive oil with some nuts thrown in for flavor and crunch. Dish out the chicken, and enjoy!